I hit a local coho beach this morning, hoping I may find something on the move. The tide had turned and was on it's way in fairly early. Let this be a warning to you all. I did this once before about 3 years ago. I was wading by myself and it was fairly foggy. Nothing was moving on the water. This beach I fish on occasion is a broad tideflat with lots of eelgrass. The eelgrass lays on uneven undulating sand. So, you may see where this goes. I was fairly familiar with the ground, but I became careless on the incoming tide. First off, you have to wade out quite far to get to fishable water as it is so shallow. I started to wade parallel to the beach and I know this section drops into the edge of a bowl-like area. I kept going along its edge thinking I was still somewhat on a bar of sand. It sort of quit being a bar and I kept wading paralleling the shoreline. Then of course, a good salmon made a hell of a commotion, but was quite out of reach. Being the aggressive old fart fisherman that I am, I continued to make casts and working the area hoping to draw some attention to my fly. Not this morning. It was Friday the 13th. I finally gave up and I was getting almost chest deep. I thought, maybe I should think about heading in toward the beach. I did, for not too far, as the water became deeper! Like I said, this happened to me about 3 years ago, and, I THOUGHT I had learned my lesson! Wholly shit! I tried to keep my cool for a bit and turned around and went back out only a short distance from where I was. My mind started panicking and I suddenly felt trapped! Well, I was basically in chest deep. Luckily, no freighter had gone by (but how the hell would I know in the fog this morning...!). I looked around and I was all ALONE! There were houses, but quite a ways back to them from where I was standing to the beach line. I didn't see anyone on their porches or outside. I thought, "do I start yelling for help yet?" I had to take off my stripping basket since it had filled with water. What do I do?!! It's a terrible feeling, in case you haven't experienced it. I tried to keep my cool, but I was almost losing it quickly. I started to try to retrace where I had waded from. I didn't think it had been too long when I started heading into the deeper water, but, maybe it had. I only hoped. Well, I went back toward where I thought I had come from, and the inches slowly, very slowly dropped around the chest of my waders. I finally made some headway and reached shallower water, then I turned and headed back toward the beach, and, made it. I don't carry a PFD while wading, BUT, this was the last straw! I was fairly physically disturbed when I got on the beach.
I will probably get a PFD for beach fishing now. A friend has the kind that is in a pack on your waist or something, and this may be the answer. Or..........I could buy a cheap "Rubber Duckie" that I could blow up while up to my waist in water and maybe float out that way!! Regardless, I thought I would remind you fellow beach fishers. Watch where you ARE on the incoming tide! No more Friday the 13th's for me!
Damn!! One final note. Remember to fish the beaches you like at LOW tide. That way, you can learn the beach you fish, especially on these tide flat areas. Now I remember why I like fishing the ebb...
BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! Unlike me, dufus, dryflylarry. Yes. It scared the shit out of me...

I think that's the beach I met you on a couple 5-6 years ago, and when I was not wading back in during the rising tide you walked over and gave me a 'soft' ass chew for wading so deep and not minding/remembering the pockets of deeper water.

I think that's the beach I met you on a couple 5-6 years ago, and when I was not wading back in during the rising tide you walked over and gave me a 'soft' ass chew for wading so deep and not minding/remembering the pockets of deeper water.

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Boy, I can't exactly remember that, but maybe. Well, that only proves my brain isn't working properly and this old man better start using it more.

I keep notes on safe high tide levels for the beaches I fish. With my notes, a watch, and a tide book, I manage to stay in wadable water most of the time. Conditions can change quickly on the Sound, and you have to be careful. In addition to sand bars, you have to be careful of shoreline brush and downed trees that become submerged at high tide. There are lots of beaches that back up to cliffs, and it would be easy to get stranded if you're not careful.

The older I get, the less risk I take wading deep water. It's just not worth it..

Glad you survived Larry! Did you get some saltwater in the waders? That is certainly a very frightening experience to go through. I'm worried about being sucked off the beach by a strong rip current one of these days.

Dang larry didn't think you would get into that again. Last time that happened to me was with you, chest deep almost freakin out too.
I made a promise to myself I would take 2-3 steps back every 20 min or so on incoming tide if I'm more then waist deep. Its too easy to get trapped there dude.

Glad your here to tell us about it larry, not about to loose another friend from fishing. Lost Tony A from work here last month, his boat sank in a local lake.
oh I was there last tues in my boat and that fog and glassy water was a trip, glad my fish finder/gps kept my bearings..

Dang larry didn't think you would get into that again. Last time that happened to me was with you, chest deep almost freakin out too.
I made a promise to myself I would take 2-3 steps back every 20 min or so on incoming tide if I'm more then waist deep. Its too easy to get trapped there dude.

Glad your here to tell us about it larry. oh I was there last tues in my boat and that fog and glassy water was a trip, glad my fish finder/gps kept my bearings..

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It was kind of like a peninsula with deeper water on three sides (including the shore access side). The only way to get back out was follow the deepening peninsula back, in deeper water of course, since the tide rose, then hang a turn toward the beach when you get out. "Wholly smokes, batman!"

Glad you survived Larry! Did you get some saltwater in the waders? That is certainly a very frightening experience to go through. I'm worried about being sucked off the beach by a strong rip current one of these days.

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No....but dang close, Tim! What happens when your waders fill? Could one still walk out up to their neck???? Geesus, I don't like thinking about it. I start thinking about those freighter waves when the water gets that high. Gees, and I was in complete fog! Smart Larry, real smart....

It's not a big deal for your waders to get some water in them until you start walking on dry land again. You can still doggy paddle to the shallows over use your inverted stripping basket as a kick board. We should make a safety video sometime.

No....but dang close, Tim! What happens when your waders fill? Could one still walk out up to their neck???? Geesus, I don't like thinking about it. I start thinking about those freighter waves when the water gets that high. Gees, and I was in complete fog! Smart Larry, real smart....

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The fun starts when the air in your waders goes down to your feet as you swim to shallow water, this makes keeping your head above water interesting.